Improvement in piston-packings



R. WETHERILL.

Piston-.Packings.

"Patehted lul yl4,l87 4v '12s? I INVENTOR ad W v Attorneys.-

U NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT VETHERILL, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO ROBERT WETHERILL & 00., OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PISTO N-PACKINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,137, dated July 14, 1874; application filed May 23, 1874.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT WETHERILL, of Chester, in the county of Delaware and in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piston- Packing and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts of a piston-packing, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which Figure 1 is an endview, part in section, of a piston-head provided with my improved packing-rings.- Fig. 2 is a side elevation, also partly in section, of the same. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detached views, showing sections of the packin g-rin gs.

A represents a piston-head, made in one piece and cored out, as shown in the drawing. In this piston-head are made two circumferential grooves of any suitable width and depth. In each of these grooves are inserted two packingmings, B and O. The ring 0 is formed of an ordinary fiat ring, while the ring B is L- shaped, as shown. Both the rings are made in any desired number of sections, and the ring (J fits upon the horizontal part, and against the vertical part, of the ring B; and they are so put together as to break joints, or overlap each other, to prevent steam from passing through them. To insure the rings remaining in this position-that is, with the joints broken-a piece, a, is cut off from one of the sections of the ring O and riveted to one of the sections of the ring B, whereby the ring 0 is prevented from turning around, and hence cannot get out of its position with relation to the joints of the ring B. To the under side of each section of the ring B is riveted, or otherwise secured, a spring, D, which rests in the bottom of the groove on the piston, and

forces the rings outward against the cylinder with sufficient force or pressure to pack the piston perfectly without any other pressure. The flanges b b of the piston do not allow any pressure to pass over them, as they are of the same size as the body of the piston. A single set of packing-rin gs may be used in the center of the piston; but I prefer one set at each end, as shown, on account of wearing over the recesses in the cylinder, and also in insuring a more perfect joint than one set.

I am aware that rings have been used as packing by admitting steam under them in various ways 3 but there is great objection to the so-called steam-packing, as the rings wear quickly, and especially, also, the cylinder wearin g large at the ends, bagging it in the middle, on account ol'the greatest pressure at the end; also in the noise, by the rings rattling, on account of the sudden action of the pressure. These difficulties are entirely obviated by my improvement, as the springs under the rings, properly applied, is all that is necessary to insure a perfectly tight piston-head, and at the same time will wear very little as compared with those where the steam-pressure is admitted under the rings.

I am aware that a piston-head whose packing-rings are made in sections is not new. I am also aware that a piston-head having grooves, within which is fitted L-shaped packing-rings, made of single pieces of metal, and which rest upon a series of loose springs, is not new; hence I disclaim such as my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- v The combination, with. the solid piston, grooved as described, of the sectional rings and the springs, each of the latter being secured to its respective segment separately from the other, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of May, 1874.

BOBT. WETHERILL.

Witnesses:

.A. N. MARE, J. TYLER POWELL. 

